EXPORT MEAT

Chronicle (Levin), 8 May 1946, Page 7

EXPORT MEAT

INCREASED PRICES SOUGHT CLAIMS BEING PREPARED The question of a review of meat export prices was mentioned at a meeting of the Wellington Central Provincial executive Of Federated Farmers at Marton on fdouday wlien Mr. L. Hammond, member of Dominion. Meat .and Wool Produce hSection Council, stated that the matter had been eqnsidercd at a meeting of the -Council •i-nr' Wellington last week. Producers were-not.satisiieu with the prices being pald for wether and'ewe uiu'tton, he said. '-He recalled that when the increase waS ' given foi lanib, the same ^lorcetitage increase -was aceorded wether and ewe muttonj-the basis being the 1939 prices' when tlu. prices for wethers 'and' ejv'es 'was tot»t low. This explained the prevailing iow prices for niuttoii and. producers claimed that it was . not sufficienf a'hd very much short.of what sliould be paid h. view of present-day costs. The prices lixed for pig meats were also. considere-.l by producers to be out of synipathy with present-day costs ofk production. However, the Stabilisation Commissiun had refused to conccde auy increase and to this could be attributed the sharp fall in production. Mr. D. G. Gordon (presi'cle'nt) recalled that producers of pig meats had recentlv discussed the matter of, costs and he gathered that they had justification in seeking an increase in price for botli porkers and baconers. It was stated that the ruling low prices provided no real inducement to raise pigs and if prices were adjustcd there would be a rapid increase in production. Mr. Hammond stated -that tlie Meat Produce Council was arranging to coqperate' with the Meat Board to api proach the Goverument for.a review qf prices for all meats before fke next season. In connectioil with the Meat Board proposals for the salvage of waste fat 'On f'arms, Mr. Hammond said that this matter had been considered at a meeting in Wellington, but the proposals for the collection of the fat from farmers were unworkable. The idea advanccd was that branch secretaries of Federated farmers undertake the resp'onsibility for the collection of the fat, but producers were agreed that this would not prove satisfactorv as Federated Farmers had no organisation to handle the fat. The alternative offered by producers was that the fat sliould ,be handled by fellmongers in eacli district and that they issue a docket for all fat reeeived from individual farmers and. in tuni the farmers would send the dockets in to the Meat Board and recelve the subsidy which aniounted to 2d. pOr lb., makiug the total Tcturn 21d. ])er- •ilf. ' This would niean'that a keroseiie tin ;'of fa't would be worth' frdm Ss (!d to 1.0s. Mr. Ilammon'd explained that the dvhole schehie was aimed at recovering waste fats aild tlie subsidy was coiiftne'd io that alone, and not to aiiy fat .seiit ,yi by freezing vvorks or butchers. Ite. hpoed that soiue satisfactorv method woy-Ip be. .worked 'out* by the- author-ities in-AV>eHing-toin Advice was-: reeeived t-hat -'the Ro liahilitatiou -De-partmbut "was ])repared to grant assistaiu-e ' in suitablC easos to sorvicemen desiring-' to enter tlie saddlery' trade. Mr. G. Ti. Mat-shall . askod wliet her *aity such steps hadjieen taken to assist the fkrrier trade which was very short of apjjreliticcs. Mr. Haiuuioiid said iliat ihe Meat and Woui Produce ('ouncil had, reypiiinieii'led that the Rehnbililaliou Dppartmeut sliould grant assistance lo encourage trai.ni.ng in Ihe farrier trade. The.few remaiiling farriers, said Mr. Gordon, were un able lo.cope with tlie work loday. 11 was agreed to take the" matter up with liead ollice of Federated Farmers. Tlie removal of all restrictions on the takitlg of opossiuus \vks jhrged J Iry the Sanson-Ghakca branch. Supporting this, Mr. A. ,1. Mickleson (Taihape) said thai this pest was doing very considerable damagc and Mr. F. G. Jurgens (Bulls) stated that e.ven gum treos were being destroyed by the pest. It was timo that Ihe Governnient reinoved all restrictions on the taking of opossums and the selling of their skins. The meeting carried a resol'ution to this eH'ect. BupporL was accorded the SansonOhakea branch remit nrging that the 50 lier cent. reduetion in heavy traHio licence fees for farm tru'cks up to 5 tons be extended to truc'ks up, to 7 tons. Mr. C. Eglinton (Sanson) said that the branch sought this concession in order lo meet trausport difficulti.es in a busv season when farmers-' trueks had been called upon to handle larger loads from farms to the rail. Appreciation of the services of retiring -iiranch secretaries was reeorded, the provincial secretary referriiig to the work of Mr. T.-Prentice (Ohakune) who had aeted for over 20 years and Mr. J. B. S. Dudding, of Marton, Avho had been secretary of the Marton branch for • some 15 vears. The meeting agreed that letters of appreciation and thanks be sent to Messrs Prentice and Dudding.- • .b. ' '- .• f , Discussing provincial organisation. the meeting decided t'O' arrange for a combined meeting of the Manawatu. Wanganui and Wellington Central provincial executives for. the . purpose of exploring the idea ■ of eombining the .three provinces into two or one large province and the appointment of onc full-time orgauising secretary. ' It was suggested.that this would do away xvith the employment of organisers and prove a better arraugement.